Testing can be a time-consuming and expensive task unless an automated
test tool is used for the development and deployment of a software. These
tools capture, verify and replay user interactions automatically so as to identify defects
and to ensure that business processes, which span across multiple
applications and databases, work flawlessly the first
time and remain reliable. The two major categories of such tools are system
testing and load testing. System testing tools are used to
ensure that the entire product operates as specified. Load testing
tools are used to ensure that key parts of the system operate under severe load. A
few top system test tools are WinRunner, Silk Test and Rational Robot.
Today's corporate information systems must support thousands of users,
multiple application environments and a complicated mix of different
vendor components. Unpredictable user loads and enormous application complexity
put companies at the risk of delivering poor performance, which can impact their
users and their bottom lines. To combat this risk, organizations need to conduct
automated load testing before, during and after application deployment. A few top
load test tools are LoadRunner, Silk Performer and Rational Site Load.
In our case study we have tried to present details of the working
and implementation of the lead system test tool WinRunner and of the lead load
test tool LoadRunner for the real-time applications of a software firm in Mysore.
WinRunner is basically composed of user-defined functions
and utility scripts which give the tester more control of the
test tool. These functions and utilities
facilitate the tester to use the tool in the method
or manner dictated by specific testing requirements
of a company, rather than being subjected to the inherent
limitations of the test tool. WinRunner is a system
test tool used for functional testing (like link testing in web-based
applications), database relation activity testing for
the integrity of data and consistency of data that is being transferred from the
back-end database to the front-end web pages. |
